into the darkness
by reishilovesyaoi
Summary: raikou tries to make kantarou free haruka of the name bond spell, then an oni connected to kantarou's past appears. what will happen? read and find out! R & R please...-on hiatus until i find inspiration-
1. Chapter 1

This story was made out of boredom this afternoon. Heh…so I'm not sure if it's good. My friend read it and said I should publish it so she can read properly. (My handwriting is dreadful when in rush)

This is inspired on the last few episodes of Tactics; I wanted to add something more to the drama.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tactics.

A/N: excuse the grammar.

Please Read and Review this story so I know if I would continue it or not….. Thank you in advance.

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Kantarou Ichinomiya went to work that day, smiling and energetic. He passed his article personally and even offered to make tea for the editor. He looked as though nothing was wrong. He acted as though nothing was wrong, when in fact, inside he wanted to lock himself in a room, drown himself in tears and never come back.

The pain of losing the person he cared for, not to death or any other being, but to his own weakness was perhaps the hardest to accept, as he only tried to protect him and live with him happily, but he was different…he did not see his intention, he thought that he wanted him to be sealed away again after he was used, like some sort of toy, but he wasn't like that…he loved and admired him truly…he was ready to die for him, but he didn't believe him…

"_Go home Kantarou…" the man told him, under the hard rain._

"_No! I don't want to! Why are you doing this haruka?" he shouted, his voice trembling because of the cold rain soaking both men_

"_I don't want to go back…"_

"_Why?" he whispered, looking at haruka_

"_I want to be free…from everything…I want to find out who I really am…" with that he showed his black wings and took off "Sayonara, Kantarou…"_

"_H-haruka…"_

_That day Kantarou went home knowing Haruka would just cool his head and come back. This wasn't the first time they had an argument like that, Haruka would come home, and he just had to._

"More tea, sensei?" Reiko asked, and he gratefully accepted "my, you sure are lively today, did something good happen?"

"Not really" he answered, taking a sip "I just wanted to go around a bit, besides, youko-chan's got the house covered anyway"

"That's great…"

"Ichinomiya-sensei!" their talk was interrupted by a man who came rushing up to them "excuse me! I'm looking for ichinomiya-sensei…." He looked flushed and he was shaking as well. Reiko and Kantarou immediately stood up

"I'm Kantarou Ichinomiya, what happened?"

"I need your help sensei! My daughter is… my daughter is possessed by a monster!!" the man cried, clutching kan-chan's wrist it was painful

"Calm down sir" he said, trying not to wince "tell me, where is your daughter?"

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"Nani?! Someone asked for kan-chan's help?" youko said, repeating Reiko's words as she prepared tea

Reiko nodded "the man looked so scared, when he finally let go of sensei's wrist there were bruises there…they ran off to the man's house. I wanted to go along but sensei told me to tell you fist…"

"Tell me why? Why should you tell me?" the fox girl asked, confused

"I have no idea, come to think of it; he's been acting weird lately, ichinomiya-sensei…"

Youko became worried "why? Kan-chan…"she looked outside then her eyes grew wide in fear "could it be?"

"What's wrong youko-chan?"

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"Enough with the disguises already. I know it was you guys from the start..." Kantarou said seriously as he stepped inside the house, he felt the pain in his chest. He calmed himself and tried to keep steady

"Really now, then you're saying that you let yourself into out trap?" Ibaragi Douji stood up from the bed and watanabe took off his mask "how nice of you, Ichinomiya Kantarou…"

"What do you want?" he said coldly, he hated the sight of them. If they didn't arrive he would probably still be with haruka. The tengu wouldn't need to be suffering. None of them would be suffering in pain.

"You should already know that, Ichinomiya…" Raikou Minamoto's familiar voice came from behind him as the door was looked; he was locked inside "cancel the name bond with the onikui…"

"Didn't I tell you? Haruka regained his memories already, there's no need for that…" he stared at Raikou without blinking

"That may be, but his true powers remain sealed. Now cancel the name bond and free him, Ichinomiya…"

"No" he replied

"Nani?!"

"Haruka will be Haruka. Even if he's away I don't want to lose him, that's why I can't cancel the name bond" he received a punch from Raikou which sent him slightly unbalanced

"damn it! If you don't cancel the name bonding---"

"By all means kill me" he said with a steady voice "it doesn't matter anyway…" he stared at him with his deep red eyes

Raikou was slightly taken aback, but having recovered he punched Kantarou once more which sent the young exorcist stumbling "I'm tired of your stubbornness… fine! If you ask for your death then I'll gladly give it to you!" he stormed away

"Raikou-sama!" ibaragi went to him "if you kill him…"

"I'll find another way…" the black haired man say "there's more than one way to free the onikui tengu's power than the name bond…"

Kantarou's eyes widened slightly but he did not budge… then there was a way for haruka to achieve what he wanted. He smiled "I'm glad, Haruka…"

Watanabe was watching him "this man... what the hell is he? He's not afraid of dying to protect the onikui tengu…what a fool..." he thought

"Watanabe!" Raikou's voice came from the doorway "Bind that man, were not through with him yet!" then footsteps leading away were heard, then silence

The loyal soldier did as he was told. As he was doing so Kantarou stared at him, making him slightly anxious "what are you staring at?"

He shook his head "I just noticed, you're not doing anything that makes Raikou mad…" he looked away "he must be really important to you…"

He must've hit a spot because watanabe became aggravated "Raikou-sama brought me back to life! I owe him my service! What do you know!"

Kantarou smiled "Raikou is really lucky then…"closing his eyes, he said no more…

Watanabe left him there in the dark, wondering... what happened to the onikui tengu's master….

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"What is taking Kan-chan so long!?" youko was pacing up and down the room worried. Her prepared dinner was long forgotten, now she was anxiously waiting for her master to come home

Reiko, who didn't leave to wait for Kantarou was also beginning to feel worried for the writers late return…it wasn't like Kantarou… something must've happened to him…

After a few more minutes, the fox girl grew tired of waiting…

"Mou!! I had enough! I'm going to look for kan-chan!" she declared angrily, preparing to storm out of the house

"Ah! Matte! Youko!" Reiko followed her "where are you going to look for him? We don't even know where Ichinomiya-sensei went!"

Youko stopped then smiled and patted her on the shoulder "its ok Reiko-san, I know someone who can find kan-chan" she said "leave it to me!"

So she left, leaving Reiko worried and slightly confused "Ichinomiya-sensei…"

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"What? Are you still going to act like you don't miss him?!" an angry sugino was lecturing Haruka who was sitting on a large branch by his tree house gazing at the stars

Haruka remained silent…

"Not only are you lying to yourself about how you feel, but you're ruining me and moo-chan's intimate moments together!" the angel complained "don't you think you've hurt Kantarou enough?"

Haruka merely looked at him then said "keep out of this sugino…"

"What are you being stupid for?" sugino sat at the farthest branch "you miss him as well don't you? Then why are you keeping away from him?"

"…."

He shook his head "you're a lot more stupid than I thought you'd be…did you really think this will keep him safe?"

The tengu's eyes widened "!!!"

"Think Haruka…" Sugino stood up and walked towards the inside of the house "Kantarou needs you more than ever, there's no use distancing yourself…" haruka was left there under the light shade of the moon

Did I really make the wrong move? He thought…will Kantarou still take me after everything I've said? He closed his eyes

"Haruka!! Haruka!!"

The dark green haired tengu opened his eyes and looked down, it was youko

"youko?"

"I need your help! Kan-chan's missing!! Haruka!"

"!!!"

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There in that room, Kantarou Ichinomiya was held as prisoner and since it was overflowing with powers of onis, his moves were limited and his chest throbbing in pain, several youkais under raikou's command used whips on him every now and then torturing him to agree to their demands. How many days have passed he did not know, but it felt like an eternity to him…

The door would open 3 times a day and watanabe would enter, bringing him food, Kantarou never touched this, not that he could with his binds. And the soldier would come back to see that the youkais would be feasting on the food he left

"Oi! That food is----"

Here is when Kantarou would say "it's alright, these youkai need to eat too you know" he would smile despite the obvious pain he is experiencing

Watanabe stared at him, then would shake his head, mutter "foolish…" and would walk out of the room once more

Kantarou stared at the door; he wondered where the others are, if they were safe "youko, Rosalie… suzu… Haruka" he whispered, then would fall unconscious

All the while, Raikou had been watching him, harbouring interest in his stubbornness "this man…he may be the most interesting in the line of the Ichinomiya…" ibaragi appeared behind him…

"Are the preparations ready?" he asked her

"Hai" she gave a slight bow, making him smile "perfect, tonight you shall all witness my victory over the real power of the onikui tengu" his eyes glowed evilly in the dark

Watanabe watched from afar "Raikou-sama…"

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The tension in the wind told Haruka that something was going to happen tonight, after the third day of looking for Kantarou without any success, it seems like he wouldn't have to look for his master anymore…

"What's wrong haruka?" youko asked, unaware

"There!" summoning his staff, he pointed it towards the door, straight in front of watanabe's face "you!" haruka said, not lowering his staff

"Watanabe!" youko cried "I know you guys have kan-chan! Where is he? What did you do to him?!"

Watanabe stared at haruka "your master is in danger onikui tengu and your only chance is to help him tonight"

"What are you talking about?"

"Raikou-sama is going to sacrifice him to the spirit of the Minamoto's oni... hoping to make him free your real power…" the soldier told him

Haruka looked at him suspiciously "why should I believe you? You're minamoto's minion! You could be leading us to a trap!"

Watanabe lowered his head "I am loyal to Raikou-sama… but your master… he wanted to tell you…" he looked at the two of them "Take care Haruka, Youko…."

The two were slightly taken aback, but watanabe kept a straight face, hard to tell if he was telling the truth or not. Silence filled the air…

Haruka stared at him for a few minutes more "where will Kantarou be sacrificed?"

"Katagiri shrine… near the end of the next town" the soldier replied

"Wakatta" the tengu said watanabe gave a slight bow and left, leaving a serious-looking haruka and a confused youko…

youko stared at haruka "you don't think he's telling the truth do you?"

"He's serious…"

"What? What made you that?"

"His eyes weren't lying" haruka relaxed his shoulders and lowered his staff "something's changed in him…"

the fox thought for a while "now that you've mentioned it, he did seem a lot less scarier then that means…oohh… kan-chan's in trouble!" she cried "we have to save him haruka!" she looked at the tengu

haruka became quiet… it was a while before the dark green haired man found his voice "yeah…" he said sounding so low that if youko was not listening intently she might not able to hear…

"Haruka…"

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"Arigatou… Watanabe…"Kantarou said weakly as the soldier came to deliver food to him once more, he smiled once more, weakness evident in him…

Watanabe said something but left the usual plate of food for him

Kantarou smiled. it would only be a few hours until he will be sacrificed…he knew about it…he was glad that watanabe was able to rely his message to youko…she would probably be the one to tell…

"The onikui tengu…" the soldier's voice came from the door "seems like he was looking for you…"

The white haired boy was shocked "haruka…was…looking…for… me?"

Watanabe nodded and left

Happiness filled Kantarou "Haruka… Haruka…" before he realized it he was crying and somewhere in the sky, Haruka felt his master calling him…

"Kantarou…"

"_Liar!"_

"_I'm not lying!" a white haired boy cried "I know he's real! And I'm going to show all of you!"_

"_Yeah! Like how you told us that scar on your chest is from an oni? Grow up Kan-chan!"_

"_No…" he sobbed "he's real…he does exist. And I did get this scar from an oni! Why don't you believe me?"_

_Kantarou cried while the other kids laughed at him when they were done mocking him they left, leaving heart broken kan-chan…_

"_Why don't they believe me?" he asked_

"_There are no such things as youkais or Onis! Grow up!" "Making up things to get noticed…" "What an unlucky child…" "He shouldn't be allowed to carry that name!" people around him said, leaving him more lonely than ever_

_Kantarou would then spend the afternoon by the lake with his youkai friends they would cheer him up and they would play…_

"_Don't be sad kan-chan, one day you'll show them!" they told him…_

_Kan-chan smiled at them sadly "I just wanted to tell them the onikui tengu exist…"_

"_Onikui?" "Tengu?"_

"_Um!" he smiled brightly "one day I'll find him and be his friend! I'll name him… Haruka!"_

"_Haruka?"_

"_Hai!" he said determinedly "don't you think that's a great name… Haruka?" he stared at the red moon, filled with hopes and dreams "haruka…"_

_The dream turned into a nightmare…_

_Kantarou returned home to find everyone dead… his parents… his grandparents… his family…everyone…he stood there…unable to move in shook and fear… there…in the middle of the hall…stood the oni that did it… a woman with long black hair… showered in fresh blood… blood that came from the people he loved…._

_Kantarou gave a small whimper, causing the murderer to turn to him…with blood red eyes like his…_

"_I've found you…" she was carrying a long spear_

"_No" he took a step back, scared "no…" tears fell from his eyes_

_She walked towards him slowly, blood trickling down her face and hands "I found you…"_

"_Noooo!!!" Kantarou ran as fast as he could. He was scared, so scared "help me… somebody… please…" he screamed inside his head "help me… haruka!!"_

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Kantarou woke with a start, shaking and pale…he held a hand to his chest… "A…a dream…" he whispered

"Awake then?" Raikou's voice said from behind

That's when Kantarou realized he was already in the sacrificial shrine "t-this is…" he gasped


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for the reviews…

Anyway, this is the next chapter I promised… sorry for the rather late update, been busy with school and other things…then my manuscript for this fic went missing, luckily after months of crying and ravaging my room I found it with the other fic manuscripts I was looking for, and wasting no time, here it is!

Disclaimer: I don't own tactics. But I hope I did… I lurve Kan-chan and Haruka…XD

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Chapter 2:

"This is…."

Kantarou gasped, looking around. This place was familiar to him. He was paralyzed in fear… as he stood there, the shrine resembled their old house, he took an involuntary step back. "No…"

"Welcome to Katagiri shrine, Ichinomiya" Raikou said behind him, "Behold the power of the oni that resides in this place" he smiled "the power to bring forth your greatest fear."

The door of the shrine opened all of a sudden…it was pitch black inside. But it reeked the smell of blood.

"You have your last chance Ichinomiya, free the onikui tengu-----"

"KANTAROU!!!" Haruka's voice came from the shrine entrance, and there they saw Haruka and Youko, ready to take back their master.

"Youko...Haruka…" kantarou whispered, surprised but very happy to see them.

"Kantarou, are you alright?" the tengu asked, looking directly at him.

"Hai…" he answered. He had never been happier to see the man before him "I'm fine…Haruka…"

"Ah… I've been expecting you, Onikui tengu…" Raikou said, smiling, making Haruka ready himself. Just like that Ibaragi Douji appeared dressed in her red long cut dress, smiling.

"The job is done, Raikou-sama" she said.

"Good" the raven-haired man said. "That way, Watanabe should know who he should take orders from…"

"Ah!" Kantarou exclaimed "Watanabe! What did you do to Watanabe!?"

all of a sudden Raikou became angry. "You!" he slapped Kantarou across the cheek "you are the reason why watanabe is being punished right now! You told him to tell the onikui tengu!"

"That's not true!" he shouted "I didn't tell him to do anything!" but another slap from Raikou made him silent.

"Kantarou!" Haruka shouted, he wasn't going to take anymore of it, he launched himself to them "Haaaaaah!!"

Raikou immediately drew his sword and clashed with the man. "This is you weakness Onikui tengu! Your attachment to your master makes you predictable!"

"Ihh!" the two exchanged blows, while the two women and kantarou could only watch might happen.

"H-Haruka…" kantarou whispered

"I've found you…."

He froze…that voice… "No…"

The others did not notice what was happening to him, they were to busy watching the other two men fight.

"Raikou-sama…" ibaragi was fixed on her master.

"Yeah! Go Haruka! You can do it!" youko was shouting.

No one noticed Kantarou shaking in fear.

"I've found you…"

"No… don't…please…" he whispered, embracing himself "I…"

All of a sudden some sort of invisible force bounded kantarou, pulling him towards the shrine, his shout lost in his throat as his head began to spin.

"I'm never letting you go again"

His vision blurred. As everything began to go black…kantarou last saw haruka's spread of black wings, and all was gone…

"Haruka…"

"I don't know what that boy has done to you onikui tengu, but I'm doing you a favour and trying to set you free!" Raikou shouted.

"Don't talk about Kantarou that way!" he shouted, striking the man with his staff which Raikou was able to evade "You know nothing!"

"What about you onikui?! What do you know about your beloved master?"

Haruka was taken aback, but managed to save himself from raikou's next attack. He steadied himself and faced the man "It's true" he said "I don't know much about Kantarou… but he is the reason I am here…and I owe him that"

They exchanged blows once more.

"He locked away your memories! He made you believe you're something you're not!!"

The hazel eyed tengu shook his head "You're pitiful, Minamoto Raikou…"

"Nani?!"

He launched himself towards Raikou "You're too blinded by your selfish goals! That is why you're taking those around you for granted!"

Raikou deflected the attack "ihh!" he looked confused now, Haruka took the chance and attacked with speed and accuracy. This time the other was not able to evade and was thrown to the trees near the shrine entrance. Haruka waited on top of him.

"Kuso" Raikou growled, holding his left arm, blood trickled down the side of his face.

"Raikou-sama!" ibaragi shouted, going to her master's side, she helped him stand up.

"This isn't over onikui tengu!!" he shouted before they disappeared into the darkness of the night.

"…" haruka stared.

"Kan-chan! Kan-chan!!" youko shrieks filled the air, causing a slight rise in the tengu's adrenaline, he turned "what happened?" kantarou was nowhere in sight.

The fox girl was trying to pull the entrance to the shrine open "kan-chan! Open this door! Kan-chan!" she cried, haruka landed next to her.

"what happened?"

"This door took Kan-chan! " she told him "It pulled kan-chan inside!"

"Stand back" haruka said, using his staff he tried to break down the door, but it wasn't even scratched. "N-Nani?!"

"Ah…" youko looked scared. "W-what are we going to do, Haruka?"

The tengu gritted his teeth.. thinking of a way to get in. "Kantarou…" he whispered.

"What are you people doing here?"

The two turned to see a small boy, about 7 years old, he had white hair and plain black eyes…he looked oddly like…

"Kantarou…" haruka muttered, eyes wide in shock…

the boy smiled "Hai! My name is kantarou… but everyone calls me Kan-chan…" he said

"K-Kan-chan…this is…kan-chan as a kid…" youko whispered, aghast.

"Kan-chan! Go get some water from the lake!!" a voice from inside the house said.

"Hai! Obasama!" the boy called then turned to the two "I'm going to fetch some water…want to come?"

"Sure!" youko said, but haruka declined, the boy kantarou was looking at him intently

"W-what?"

"you're cool Oni-chan" he said innocently "I wish I can have a friend like you!" with that he went off with youko following.

Haruka shook his head. That was kantarou alright…what was going on? He looked around, nothing has changed since he defeated Raikou…wait a minute! He looked again…the trees! The trees were standing once again where he had thrown Raikou, meaning to say… "We travelled back in time?"

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"Ne, one-chan" the boy kantarou told youko, as they approached the lake "you're…a youkai right?"

"That's right!" she smiled and transformed into her fox form "I'm actually a fox-youkai…and it's thanks to you that I got my name!"

"To…me?"

"Uhuh…" she nodded. "it may be hard to believe but I'm you're friend kan-chan!"

"Ah…"kan-chan's eyes glowed with happiness. "Hai! You're youko-chan right? You're a fox, so you're youko-chan!"

"Amazing! That's right!" they laughed.

When they were near the clearing, Youko suddenly exclaimed "o-ouch!"

"What's wrong, youko-chan?"

"That's odd…"she said "I can't pass here…" she held her finger forward and was slightly electrocuted "ow!"

"Y-youko-chan!"

"I'm fine…" her ears showed up "why don't you go ahead and get the water? I'll wait for you right here…"

"O-okay…" kantarou said, though he looked unsure.

Kantarou approached the lake and all of a sudden he forgot he was with someone. All he knew is he was going to fetch some water for the house. He dipped the pail in water.

"I've found you…"

The boy heard the voice and dropped the pail…he looked up to see an oni, the scariest one he'd seen so far…and he actually saw a lot…the oni looked more or less like a woman…with long flowing hair…with an aura of pure evil…

"Ichinomiya…"

Kantarou was paralyzed in shock, he fell backwards in fear…the oni advanced on him, stretching out her bandaged hand…full of blood…

"No…Don't come…no…"

"Kan-chan! Kan-chan!!!" youko was shouting, but the invisible barrier was preventing her from getting to the boy, and the oni was already on top of kan-chan. "Run!"

"Aaah!!"

Youko gasped in horror, as the oni slashed kantarou in the chest…blood splattered everywhere. "Kantarou!!"

The sound of people running was heard, and soon, people were running past her to get to kantarou…

"W-what?" she didn't understand what was going on "K-kan-chan?" the people acted as though they could not see her at all "C-can't… can't they see me?"

"They can't…" a voice said behind her, it was Haruka.

"W-what do you mean? What's going on Haruka?"

"We are in the past…" the tengu said simply.

"Past? What past?"

"Kantarou's past." He told her directly "This is his past as Kantarou knows it…" he inclined his head towards the lake. "That boy… that is kantarou when he was young..."

Youko stared at him disbelievingly "But…how? I don't remember anything that could've brought us here…"

"I have no idea…"

"and where's kan-chan? Our kan-chan?" she looked worried.

Haruka was wondering the same thing, but kept quiet. "All we can do now is wait" he said.

"Kan-chan…"

After a while, the people who went to the young kantarou's aid started to go back, and they were all looking scared about something…

"It's a curse…"one of them whispered. "That boy will bring misfortune to us all."

"Why didn't he just die?" her companion whispered back.

Youko wasn't going to stand foe this, she opened her mouth to speak but haruka stopped her. "They can't see or hear us. It's useless to talk to them"

"But kan-chan can see us!" she argued.

"Kantarou's power is different. But sooner or later he will have to forget about seeing us…" the tengu said, cross-armed.

"Sou na…"

Slowly, one by one, the people started to disappear, only a man and woman were left, needless to say, they were kantarou's parents…

Kantarou's father was a tall man, with a face like their master, though he was square jawed…he was the one who carried the unconscious boy in his arms, as they headed back towards the house.

"Please hold-on…kan-chan…" his mother whispered, a very beautiful woman with long flowing white hair, she was wearing a long Shinto priestess robe, and was holding her son's hand along the way.

"Don't give up on us, kantarou!" his father cried, struggling to wake up his son.

"Okasan…Otosan…"kan-chan muttered weakly, then managing to smile.

"How are you feeling, baby?" his mother touched his forehead, hoping to tell him that she will always be there for him.

"W-weak…I can't move…it hurts…"

"Ssshhh…it's gonna be alright…" his mother kissed him on the forehead "Everything's gonna be fine, you have to believe me, okay?"

"H-hai…"

The bleeding has already stopped, thanks to kantarou's father, who was able to study a few things in first aid, but the wound revealed a deep scar, a mark of a scratch, a mark that would be there forever, a curse kantarou would have to bea, for the rest of his life…

Haruka and Youko watched them able to do nothing…

"Poor kan-chan…" youko said tearfully "This was what happened to him…" Haruka kept quiet.

The two tried to follow the three back to their house but like the lake, a barrier prevented them from coming in.

"Mou! This is so unfair!" the fox stormed.

Haruka said nothing, he was more worried about kantarou than finding out why they can't be seen…

"oh, I hope we find kan-chan soon…"

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He was running, he didn't understand why…darkness surrounded him…he was scared, he knew he had to escape…

"Kantarou…."

"No…No…please…"

"I've found you, Kantarou!" and there, right in front of him was the same oni that he saw, many years ago, the oni that gave him his scar, his curse…this oni…

"you're mine, kantarou…."

-to be continued-


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